Contents
PLUSMarch 2018VIKINGS
WHERE CONSCIOUSNESS STARTS P. 4 0Discover
SCIENCE FOR THE CURIOUS
®The Secret
History
of theGoing Gonzo on Endangered
Species P. 5 0Revealing Hidden
Galaxies P. 3 2Invasionof the
Beetles P. 2 04 DISCOVERMAGAZINE.COMCOLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
6 EDITOR’S NOTE
Beneath the Surface
Advances in science reveal
mysteries that have eluded
researchers for years.
16 VITAL SIGNS
No Easy Fix
Thanks to gastric bypass surgery,
a woman loses a dramatic amount
of weight. So why, three years later,
are the pounds gradually returning?
BY DOUGLAS G. ADLER
20 NOTES FROM EARTH
The Beetle, the Bird
and the Tamarisk Tree
In the American Southwest, two
non-native species impact a native bird,
for better and for worse.
BY K ATHERINE MAST
66 PROGNOSIS
Quest for a Peaceful Death
A physician digs deep for the
connection between the physical
and the spiritual in end-of-life patients.
BY JEFF WHEELWRIGHT
9 THE CRUX
An anthropologist designs
a cost-efficient spacesuit;
experts debate whether or
not to finish your antibiotic
prescription; and more.70 HISTORY LESSONS
A Deadly Diet
Diarrhea, rashes, dementia and
sometimes even death: All symptoms
of a mysterious disease that swept the
South in the early 20th century, until
one doctor found an unlikely remedy.
BY KRISTIN BAIRD R ATTINI74 20 THINGS YOU DIDN’T
KNOW ABOUT ...
Engines
What do catapults, black holes
and panda poop have in common?
BY GEMMA TARLACHMICROSTOCKER2/123RFON THE COVER
Cover illustration by Shane RebenschiedWhere Consciousness Starts p.
The Secret History of the Vikings p.
Revealing Hidden Galaxies p.
Invasion of the Beetles p.
Going Gonzo on
Endangered Species p.57 OUT THERE: SPECIAL BONUS SECTION
In the very distant future, a Martian moon will fall apart, and the
Red Planet will take on a new look. And if you know anything about
our solar system’s planetary giants, the makeover will look familiar.While enormous volcanic zones are
suspected in several mass extinctions,
it’s also the type of rock burned up
that counts. Read more on page 10.